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Parcas Sights & Tours
Ballestas Islands — photo pending replacement
Paracas, Peru

Ballestas Islands Tour

A boat tour from Paracas to the Ballestas Islands, with a panoramic stop at the Paracas Candelabra. Bilingual guide and life jacket included for every passenger.

The experience

The Ballestas Islands Tour with Parcas Sights & Tours starts with a welcome at our office in El Chaco, Paracas. From there, the group heads to the Muelle El Chaco pier to board the boat and begin the ride.

The whole tour takes place aboard the boat — passengers do not disembark at any point. One of the first stops is the Paracas Candelabra, a mysterious figure carved into the desert hillside that can only be seen from the sea; your bilingual guide shares information while passengers take photos.

The boat then continues toward the Ballestas Islands, the main highlight of the tour, where you can get a close look at marine wildlife and seabirds in their natural habitat.

Every passenger receives a life jacket when boarding, and the tour includes a bilingual (Spanish and English) guide.

Wildlife you may see

  • Peruvian booby
  • Guanay cormorant
  • Inca tern
  • Peruvian pelican
  • Humboldt penguin
  • Sea lions

This is wildlife in its natural habitat, so sightings can vary from day to day.

Rates

US$ 10.00

Young child (1-4 years)

US$ 15.00

Child / teen (5-16 years)

US$ 16.00

Adult (17 years and older)

Children under 1 year old cannot take the tour.

Pregnant individuals cannot take this tour.

These rates do not apply on high-demand dates (Holy Week, New Year, Fiestas Patrias). Message us on WhatsApp for availability and pricing on those dates.

Tour information

Duration
Approximate: 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours
Schedule
Every day: 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM
Price
From US$ 10.00 (varies by age, see rates)
Availability
Departures every day of the week
Meeting point
Parcas Sights & Tours office — A.H. Don José de San Martín Mz. E Lt. 8, El Chaco, Paracas, Pisco, Ica, Peru. Boarding takes place afterward at the Muelle El Chaco pier.

What's included / What's not included

What's included

  • Welcome at our office in El Chaco, Paracas
  • Boarding at the Muelle El Chaco pier
  • Boat tour with a panoramic stop at the Paracas Candelabra
  • Tour of the Ballestas Islands
  • Bilingual guide (Spanish and English)
  • Life jacket for every passenger
  • Port fees and Ballestas Islands entrance fee

What's not included

  • No additional costs apply under the regular fare listed above
  • Special rate on high-demand dates (Holy Week, New Year, Fiestas Patrias) — message us on WhatsApp for availability and pricing

Recommendations

  • Arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled time
  • Wear comfortable clothing
  • Check the day's weather conditions before heading out
  • Follow the guide's and staff's instructions during boarding

Important information

  • The tour takes place entirely by boat: passengers do not disembark at the Ballestas Islands.
  • On high-demand dates (Holy Week, New Year, Fiestas Patrias) the regular rate does not apply. Message us on WhatsApp for availability and pricing.

Before your tour

  • Arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled time.
  • The meeting point is the Parcas Sights & Tours office.
  • Boarding takes place at the Muelle El Chaco pier.
  • Every passenger receives a life jacket when boarding.
  • The whole tour takes place by boat.
  • No one disembarks during the tour.
  • Approximate duration: 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours.
  • The main destination of the tour is the Ballestas Islands.
  • The Paracas Candelabra is also visited/viewed from the boat.

How to get there

Parcas Sights & Tours Office

A.H. Don José de San MartínMz. E Lt. 8El ChacoParacas, Pisco, Ica, Peru

Direct map access is coming soon.

You can check with our office to coordinate keeping an eye on your luggage during the tour.

You can check availability in advance with our office to leave your car in front of it.

If you're staying at a hotel near our office, you can ask whether our staff can walk over to pick you up.

We recommend wearing comfortable clothing and checking the day's weather conditions before heading out.

Real photos and videos of the tour are coming soon.

Ballestas Islands — photo pending
Ballestas Islands — photo pending
Tour video — pending
Ballestas Islands — photo pending

Ready to book your spot?

Complete the booking form in a few minutes or message us directly.